DePaul alumna finalist for NCAA woman of the year

Jessica January is among the Top 30 honorees who emerged from a field of 543 outstanding female college student-athletes. (DePaul University/DePaul Athletics)

Jessica January, a 2017 graduate of DePaul University, has been selected as a finalist for the NCAA Woman of the Year award. January is among the Top 30 honorees - 10 each from Division I, Division II and Division III. They emerged from a field of 543 outstanding female college student-athletes - the highest number of nominees in the program's 27-year history.

January was a 2017 Summa Cum Laude graduate at DePaul and earned 2017 CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team. The point guard was honored with the BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award.

The conference nominees represented college athletes from 16 different sports spanning all three NCAA divisions. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will name the 2017 Woman of the Year at the Oct. 22 ceremony in Indianapolis.

The NCAA Woman of the Year is a national award honoring academic achievement, athletics excellence, community service and leadership. It is one of the highest awards given by the NCAA. The Woman of the Year award is unique in its recognition of female student-athletes who are not just successful on the field and in the classroom, but have also contributed to their communities and campuses.